Sealed package



Oct. 11, 1932. c HAMMER 1,881,529

SEALED PACKAGE Filed Sept. 14, 1929 A ORNEY Patented Oct. 11, 1932UNITED TATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES HAMMER, OF NEW YORK, N. 'Y.,ASSTGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

ANCHOR CAP & CLOSURE CORPORATION, OF LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK, A COR-IPORATION OF NEW YORK SEALED PACKAGE Application filed September 14,1929. Serial No. 392,535.

This invention relates to an improvement in receptacle closure caps andmore particularly to a closure cap which can be readily to which theyare applied or to facilitate easy removal therefrom. Some of the capsare screwed on and 01f containers. These cannot be fastened to thecontainer as quickly as caps having loosely fitted threads that can beapplied with av slight vertical force.

Ordinary screw caps are likely .to freeze on the container to be appliedtoo tight and, therefore, lack the feature of easy removal.

Other closures frequently used comprise a er than for a cap with acombined sealing I and screw portion.

Caps having a tearpfi' band to facilitate removal are subject to severalobjections. The tear-off band often departs from its intended line ofseverance and only a portion of the band is removed. This necessitatesthe employment of tools to remove the cap, which usually results inmutilating the cap, thus rendering it unfit to be used again. Anotherserious objection is that the tear-oft band on these caps leaves sharpedges which readily cause injury to the hands of the consumer. Atear-off strip having the usual finger grip is likely to slip betweenthe fingers when the package is opened, thus inflicting upon theconsumer cuts or other injuries.

Closure caps are made from thin sheet tin or other metal and, wherescored lines are used, their depth must be very accurately gaugedotherwise the metal may be severed or else not scored deep enough topermit it to tear. The accuracy required has made such caps veryobjectionable to manufacturers. Slight wear impairs the adjustment ofthe scoring tools and causes complaints by customers.

The closure cap of the present invention has been designed to eliminatethe' -difiiculties encountered in removing the tear-off strips byconfinlng the tear to the score to prevent severance of the strip duringthe tearing operation. In addition, the construction of the stripprevents slipping between the'fingers and possible injuries resultingtherefrom. It also minimizes the difiiculties of removal occasioned bythe score line being of improper depth and gives the cap manufacturer agreater tolerance in forming the score. The I advantages of such aclosure cap are beneficial both to manufacturer and consumer.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved, inexpensiveclosure cap adapted to be readily applied to receptacles and to form ahermetic seal therewith.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved closureadapted to be readilypremoved without the employment of tools.

Another object of the invention isto provide an improved closurecap'which, after being removed, can be applied to re-close or reseal thereceptacle, thus preventing loss of the contents and permitting thecontents to be dispensed directly from the receptacle.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide an improved closure caphaving a depending skirt comprising a removable strip constructed toconfine the severance to a scored line and to prevent mutilation of thestrip.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sealed packagewhich cannot be opened or tampered with without leaving visibleindications thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closure cap having a.tear-off strip which may be readily gripped without danthose made in twoand various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilledin the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes ofillustration and description and shown in the accome panying drawing,forming part of the specification, wherein Fig. 1 is a. side elevationalview of a pre- 10 ferred embodiment ofthe cap, partly in sections of theinvention.

Referring again to the drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment ofthe invention, and referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof,there is shown a container 1,

here illustrated as a chili sauce bottle, with a cap 2 secured thereon.For purposes of illustration, the cap is shown having a top portion orbutton 4 and a depending skirt or body part 5 formed from a strip ofmetal bent 0 into a cylindrical shape with the free ends interlocked,thebutton and body part being secured together by an interfolded seam 6.

It will be understood, of-course, that the pres ent invention isapplicable to caps other than ieces as illustrated.

The cap may e provided with screw threads 7 extending about the bodyportion thereof to engage corresponding threads 8 on the mouth of thecontainer. These interlocking threads may be suflicientlyloose to permitthe cap to be forced over the threads on the container by downwardpressure without the-usualfrotative movement. The purpose Ihf this is tofacilitate application of the cap.

The threads are used primarily for resealin-g -operations. The up erpart of the cap may \be knurled or provided with corrugatidhs 9 tofacilitate manual grip for the rescaling operation.

A shoulder 10 is provided on the container adjacent the bottom of theskirt of the cap 1 and the lower edge of the skirt of the cap is rolledunder the lower edge of the shoul der to hold thecap in position. In thesealing operation, a suitable pressure is applied to the cover part ofthe cap to seat-the gasket firmly against the rim of the container and Ito'hold it in sealed position until the crimping operation folds thelower edge of the cap under the shoulder 10. In order to facilitate fremoval,the cap is provided with a score 12 which, essentially, is ascored line cutting partially, but not entirely, through the metal ofthecap to weaken it so. that the lowerstrip 14 on the bottom of the skirtmay be readily removed to permit the unscrewing of the upper part of thecap. A suitable notch 13 may be provided, if desired, the apex of whichmeets the scored line sot-hat the tearing operation may bestarted'without difliculty. A tongue 15 may also be provided to furnishthe consumer with a ready hold on the strip.

In order to further facilitate the removal of this strip, there isprovided a series of corrugations or other indentations 16 directlybelow the scored line 12, and a second series of corrugations or otherindentations 17 directly above the scored line. Preferably,these'corrugations are also provided in the tongue 15. In tearing thestrip where the metal is plain thereis an inclination for the strip tobreak or tear across rather than to confine itself to the scored line.This is particularly true where the score is not as deep as it mightbe.Great difficulty has been experienced in maintaining the high accuracyrequired in forming the score of proper depth due to the thinness ofthe'metal.

By forming the corrugations 16 under the removable band 14 adjacent tothe scored line, the consumer iii removing the cap has a corrugated partto grip which is easy to hold without slipping and injuring fingers. Inaddition, experiment has demonstrated that the tear will not proceedthrough or between the corrugations but will confine itself to thescored line. This is partially because of the reinforcement occasionedby the corrugations. Furthermore, due tothe fact that the metal hasalready been bent in this portion of the cap,,there is a greaterflexibility and the tongue 15 may be more easily raised and pulledaround to effect the tearingoperation.

In other words, the corrugations give greater 'fiexibility in acircumferential direction as the strip is partially torn, and greaterstrength in a vertical direction. This enables the strip to be readilyheld and is effective to produce a smooth tear which is confined to thescored line. The corrugations 17 above the scored line operate toprevent the tear proceeding upwardly, thereby co-operatingwith thecorrugations 16 to cohfine the tearing to the proper place. Theformation of the corrugations or other indentations does not require anyadditional metal in the cap or any additional rolling operation in themanufacture of the cap. The rolls maybe changed to effect this operationwith the same machinery and the same steps heretofore utilized. Thecorrugations above or below the line may end a short distance from thescored 1 line without'materially affecting the desired result.

In Fig. 3, a construction is illustrated wherein the'corrugations, arein the tear-ofl' strip but are not provided above the scored line. Theadvantage of this construction is that the reinforced band will not tearacross the corrugation, the hand grip is not impaired and, at the sametime, a greater space is allowed in the upper part of the cap for thethreads 7.

' Certain constructions provide a pair of scored lines which permit theband of metal therebetween to be removed so that the upper and lowerpart of the cap may be separated. Such a construction is shown in Fig. 4wherein a pair of scored lines 18 are illustrated with a band of metaltherebetween corgations above and below the scored line 12 are inclinedto perpendicular. Such a construction gives a nice appearance andeffects the advantage of confining the tear and, to a certain extent,the advantage of creating flexibility in the portions of the stripsevered from the cap.

Fig. 7 illustrates the invention applied td a one-piece closure with thecorrugations 16 provided in the tear-off band, as illustrated in Fig. 3.The tongue may be entirely or partially cut in the skirt of the cap ormay be formed in any other suitable manner.

7 It will be seen that a very inexpensive closure is provided which hasadvantages not possessed by previous caps. The corrugations in the capdo not break the metal or the lacquer thereon and,.hence, present noaddi-.

tional surfaces likely to rust but, on the other hand, actually improvethe appearance of the cap. In addition, these corrugations confine thetear to a scored line and prevent the tearoff strip,from breaking duringthe tearing operation. Furthermore, the corrugations in the tongue, aswell as in the rest of the tearta strip, provide a very effectivegripwhich prevents the strip from slipping between the fingers andinflicting inj ury. The application of the cap to the container isgreatly facilitated, as well as its removal. A -re-seal closure isprovided so that the contents of the container may be dispensedtherefrom if desired.

It will be understood that while the present invention is particularlyadapted for closure caps, many of its features may be utilized whereverscored lines are employed.

I As various other changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit of theinvention, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to,beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

skirt, said skirt being weakened to provide a tear-off strip, andcorrugations spaced slightly apart from said weakened portion tofacilitate removal of said strip.

2. As an article of manufacture, a closure cap comprising a coverportion, a depending skirt, said skirt having a score therein partiallysevering the metal to provide a tear-off strip, and corrugations spacedslightly apart from said score to reinforce said skirt and to facilitateremoval of said strip.

3. Asan article of manufacture a closure cap having a depending skirt, aportion of said skirt being connected thereto by a scored line toprovide a tear-off strip, and corrugations spaced slightly apart fromsaid scored line to confine the tearing along the scored line.

4. As an article of manufacture, a closure cap having a score partiallycutting the metal extending circumferentially about the skirt thereofand corrugations immediately above and apart from said scored line.

5. As an article of manufacture, a closure cap having a score partiallycutting the metal extending circumferentially about the skirt thereofand corrugations immediately above and immediately below said scoredline, said corrugations being spaced apart from said scored line.

6. As an article of manufacture, a closure cap comprising a coverportion and a depending skirt, a tear-01f strip at the lower part of theskirt connected therewith by means of a scored line, the end of saidstrip being in the form of a tongue to facilitate the tearing of thestrip, and corrugations extending transversely of said strip 'and saidtongue to facilitate grippinoof the tongue and to prevent breaking ofthe strip in the tearing operation.

7. As an article of manufacture, a sealed package comprising a containerhaving a shoulder adjacent the upper end, a closure cap adapted to fitabout the upper end of said container, the lower part of said cap beingturned inwardly under said shoulder to hold said cap in position, ascored line extending circumferentially of the cap to permit the lowerportion thereof to be torn off for removal thereof, and corrugationsspaced slightly away from said scored line to confine the tearing to thescored line and to prevent severance of the tear-off strip during thetearing operation.

8. As an article of manufacture, a closure cap comprising a coverportion, a depending skirt, said skirt having a strip secured thereto bya scored line, a tongue integral with said strip, and corrugationsextending transversely of said tongue to facilitate gripping thereof- 9.As an article of manufacture, a closure cap comprising a cover portion,a depending skirt, said skirt having a stripsecured thereto by a scoredline,'a tongue integral with said strip having a greater width than saidstrip to facilitate manual gripping thereof, corrugations extendingtransversely of said tongue to provide a gripping surface, and othercorrugations above said scored llne to confine the tear to the scoredline. Y

10. In a sealed, package, the combination of a glass container havingthreads at the mouth thereof, and a closure cap comprising a dependingskirt, a portion of said skirt being connected thereto by a scored linepartially severing the metal thereof to provide a tearofi' strip,corrugations spaced slightly apart from said scored line to confinethettearing along the scored line, and thread engaging means in saidskirt adapted to engage the threads of the container to reseal thecontaiger when the tear-off strip has been remove 11. In a sealedpackage, the combination of a glass container having threads at themouth thereof, and a closure cap comprising a depending skirt, atear-ofl strip at the lower part of the skirt connected therewith bymeans of a scored line partially severing the closure ca metal of 'thecap, the end of the strip being wider than said strip to form a tongueto facilitate tearing of the strip, corrugations extending transverselyof said strip and said tongue to facilitate gripping of the tongue andto prevent breakin' of the strip in the tearing operation, and t readsformed in the skirt of the cap adapted to engage the threads of thecontainer.

12. As anarticle of manufacture, a sealed package comprising a containerhaving closure engaging means on the neck thereof, a I having atop'port-ion and a depending s 'rt, a scored line extending about theskirt of said closure cap providing a tear;

off portion, said tear-off portion being constrlcted lnwardly about saldclosure engaging means, corrugations in said tear-off portion adapted tostrengthen the grip thereofu on the container, and corrugations in saids 'rt above said scored line to faclhtate the tearing operation inremoving the tear-off portion to open the package.

Signed at Brooklyn, New York, this 11th I dayof September, 1929.

\ CHARLESv HAMMER. I

